The present invention relates to an information processing system which efficiently searches individual databases distributed in a system for processing information for predetermined information corresponding to the purpose of a job to be executed and processed by the system as a whole, acquires the information, and executes an information process such as a change process or the like, an information processing method for implementing the search process, and a computer readable storage medium that stores a program for making a computer implement that method.
In a conventional client-server system, data search and change processes are mainly done based on a keyword designated for each data. Such search and change processes do not pose any problem when data are individually managed. However, data such as production management information which must be managed while covering a plurality of kinds of information such as a delivery date, quantity, parts specifications, place to deliver, and the like must be individually accessed, resulting in an inefficient data process. In addition, when the contents of production management information are managed by databases distributed on a plurality of servers, and a product is manufactured by exchanging related parts, the conventional search and change processes in units of individual data have limitations if all data must be appropriately searched out and changed, and data inconsistencies may occur among servers. Therefore, a system that can exhaustively and efficiently search distributed databases for only required data and can change the found data for a predetermined search/change purpose, and its information processing method are demanded.
In order to achieve an efficient information process as the object of the present invention in consideration of the above situation, the present invention comprises at least the following arrangement.
That is, an information processing apparatus for searching a database for data, comprises:
accept means for accepting a search condition;
means for searching the database for data by generating a search module that matches the received search condition;
reception means for receiving a search result of the database from the search module; and
control means for controlling storage means to store received data.
Alternatively, an information processing apparatus for searching a database for data, comprises:
accept means for accepting a search condition;
means for generating a search module that matches the received search condition;
means for receiving a search result of the database from the search module; and
control means for, when the accepted search condition is a search condition transferred from another server, transferring the search result to the server, and for, when the accepted search result is not a search condition transferred from another server, controlling storage means of the self apparatus to store the search result.
Alternatively, an information processing apparatus for searching a database for data, comprises:
a first server having a first database;
a second server having a second database;
input means for inputting a search condition;
first transfer means for transferring the search condition to the first server on the basis of the input search condition;
second transfer means for transferring the search condition transferred by the first transfer means from the first server to the second server;
first search means for generating a search module, that matches the transferred search condition, on the basis of the search condition, and searching the first database for data;
second search means for generating a search module, that matches the transferred search condition, on the basis of the search condition, and searching the second database for data;
third transfer means for transferring the data found by the second search means to the first server; and
control means for controlling storage means to store the data transferred by the third transfer means, and the data found by the first search means.
Alternatively, an information processing apparatus for searching a first server having a first database and a second server having a second database for data, comprises:
input means for inputting a search condition;
first transfer means for transferring the input search condition to the first server;
second transfer means for transferring the input search condition to the second server via the first server; and
control means for controlling storage means to store data which is found by the first server on the basis of the transferred condition and is transferred from the first server, and data which is found by the second server on the basis of the transferred condition and is transferred from the second server.
Alternatively, an information processing apparatus for searching a database for data, comprises:
input means for inputting a search condition;
accept means for accepting the input search condition by a first server;
specifying means for specifying a server, that saves and manages a search result, on the basis of the accepted search condition;
means for, when the first server is different from the specified server that saves and manages the search result, switching a server which accepts the search condition to a second server that saves and manages a search result;
first search means for accepting the switched search condition, generating a search module that matches the search condition, and searching a database in the second server for data;
transfer means for, when a data search is required in another server other than the second server on the basis of the switched search condition, transferring the search condition to the other server;
second search means for accepting the transferred search condition, generating a search module that matches the search condition, and searching a database in the other server for data;
send-back means for sending back data found by the second search means to the second server; and
control means for controlling storage means to store the data found by the first search means, and the data sent back from the other server.
In a preferred aspect of an information processing apparatus according to the present invention, the search module is generated for each search condition, and searches a database in a server defined by the search condition for data.
In a preferred aspect of an information processing apparatus according to the present invention, when the search condition designates a change process of data, the search module sends a change request of that data to the database, and acquires identification information indicating completion of the change process as a search result.
In a preferred aspect of an information processing apparatus according to the present invention, when the search condition designates a search process of data, the search module sends a publish request of that data to the database, and acquires public information in response to the publish request as a search result.
An information processing method for searching a database for data, comprises:
the accept step of accepting a search condition;
the step of searching the database for data by generating a search module that matches the received search condition;
the reception step of receiving a search result of the database from the search module; and
the control step of controlling storage means to store received data.
Alternatively, an information processing method for searching a database for data, comprises:
the accept step of accepting a search condition;
the step of generating a search module that matches the received search condition;
the step of receiving a search result of the database from the search module; and
the control step of transferring, when the accepted search condition is a search condition transferred from another server, the search result to the server, and controlling, when the accepted search result is not a search condition transferred from another server, storage means of the self apparatus to store the search result.
Alternatively, an information processing method for searching a first server having a first database, and a second server having a second database for data, comprises:
the input step of inputting a search condition;
the first transfer step of transferring the search condition to the first server on the basis of the input search condition;
the second transfer step of transferring the search condition transferred in the first transfer step from the first server to the second server;
the first search step of generating a search module, that matches the transferred search condition, on the basis of the search condition, and searching the first database for data;
the storage step of storing the data found in the first search step in storage means;
the second search step of generating a search module, that matches the transferred search condition, on the basis of the search condition, and searching the second database for data;
the third transfer step of transferring the data found in the second search step to the first server; and
the control step of controlling the storage means to store the data transferred in the third transfer step.
Alternatively, an information processing method for searching a first server having a first database and a second server having a second database for data, comprises:
the input step of inputting a search condition;
the first transfer step of transferring the input search condition to the first server;
the second transfer step of transferring the input search condition to the second server via the first server; and
the control step of controlling storage means to store data which is found by the first server on the basis of the transferred condition and is transferred from the first server, and data which is found by the second server on the basis of the transferred condition and is transferred from the second server.
Alternatively, an information processing method comprises:
the input step of inputting a search condition;
the accept step of accepting the input search condition by a first server;
the specifying step of specifying a server, that saves and manages a search result, on the basis of the accepted search condition;
the step of switching, when the first server is different from the specified server that saves and manages the search result, a server which accepts the search condition to a second server that saves and manages a search result;
the first search step of accepting the switched search condition, generating a search module that matches the search condition, and searching a database in the second server for data;
the transfer step of transferring, when a data search is required in another server other than the second server on the basis of the switched search condition, the search condition to the other server;
the second search step of accepting the transferred search condition, generating a search module that matches the search condition, and searching a database in the other server for data;
the send-back step of sending back data found in the second search step to the second server; and
the control step of controlling storage means to store the data found in the first search means, and the data sent back from the other server.
In a preferred aspect of an information processing method according to the present invention, the search module is generated for each search condition, and searches a database in a server defined by the search condition for data.
In a preferred aspect of an information processing method according to the present invention, when the search condition designates a change process of data, the search module sends a change request of that data to the database, and acquires identification information indicating completion of the change process as a search result.
In a preferred aspect of an information processing method according to the present invention, when the search condition designates a search process of data, the search module sends a publish request of that data to the database, and acquires public information in response to the publish request as a search result.
A storage medium stores a program code for making a computer implement an information processing method for searching a database for data, and the program code comprises:
a code of the accept step of accepting a search condition;
a code of the step of searching the database for data by generating a search module that matches the received search condition;
a code of the reception step of receiving a search result of the database from the search module; and
a code of the control step of controlling storage means to store received data.
Alternatively, a storage medium stores a program code for making a computer implement an information processing method for searching a database for data, and the program code comprises:
a code of the accept step of accepting a search condition;
a code of the step of generating a search module that matches the received search condition;
a code of the step of receiving a search result of the database from the search module; and
a code of the control step of transferring, when the accepted search condition is a search condition transferred from another server, the search result to the server, and controlling, when the accepted search result is not a search condition transferred from another server, storage means of the self apparatus to store the search result.
Alternatively, a storage medium stores a program code for making a computer implement an information processing method for searching a first server having a first database, and a second server having a second database for data, and the program code comprises:
a code of the input step of inputting a search condition;
a code of the first transfer step of transferring the search condition to the first server on the basis of the input search condition;
a code of the second transfer step of transferring the search condition transferred in the first transfer step from the first server to the second server;
a code of the first search step of generating a search module, that matches the transferred search condition, on the basis of the search condition, and searching the first database for data;
a code of the storage step of storing the data found in the first search step in storage means;
a code of the second search step of generating a search module, that matches the transferred search condition, on the basis of the search condition, and searching the second database for data;
a code of the third transfer step of transferring the data found in the second search step to the first server; and
a code of the control step of controlling the storage means to store the data transferred in the third transfer step.
Alternatively, a storage medium stores a program code for making a computer implement an information processing method for searching a first server having a first database, and a second server having a second database for data, and the program code comprises:
a code of the input step of inputting a search condition;
a code of the first transfer step of transferring the input search condition to the first server;
a code of the second transfer step of transferring the input search condition to the second server via the first server; and
a code of the control step of controlling storage means to store data which is found by the first server on the basis of the transferred condition and is transferred from the first server, and data which is found by the second server on the basis of the transferred condition and is transferred from the second server.
Alternatively, a storage medium comprises:
a code of the input step of inputting a search condition;
a code of the accept step of accepting the input search condition by a first server;
a code of the specifying step of specifying a server, that saves and manages a search result, on the basis of the accepted search condition;
a code of the step of switching, when the first server is different from the specified server that saves and manages the search result, a server which accepts the search condition to a second server that saves and manages a search result;
a code of the first search step of accepting the switched search condition, generating a search module that matches the search condition, and searching a database in the second server for data;
a code of the transfer step of transferring, when a data search is required in another server other than the second server on the basis of the switched search condition, the search condition to the other server;
a code of the second search step of accepting the transferred search condition, generating a search module that matches the search condition, and searching a database in the other server for data;
a code of the send-back step of sending back data found in the second search step to the second server; and
a code of the control step of controlling storage means to store the data found in the first search means, and the data sent back from the other server.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.